Chapter 10: The Art of Bullshit

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Kazuki stood before the mirror, adjusting his school uniform with the practiced precision of someone who was always in control. Today was important. The gears were turning, and soon, everything would fall into place. He couldn't help but grin. Issei, the dense and perverted protagonist, would unknowingly become his pawn. He was just a tool to meet the heroines, to get closer to the real prizes of this world.

The system's voice interrupted his thoughts. '[Good luck, host. The plan will commence soon.]'

Kazuki chuckled under his breath, his smirk widening. 'Oh, it's going to be a fun day. Time to play nice.'

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In the classroom, Kazuki wore the perfect mask: the diligent, good student, who seemed harmless and polite. No one suspected a thing, which was just how he liked it. He watched as Issei, the future dragon wielder and harem king, fidgeted in his seat, clearly distracted. The telltale signs of something weighing heavily on his mind. Kazuki knew exactly why.

'Issei, you poor fool. Yesterday, you got yourself killed by a girl you thought liked you and thanks to that i have a slave now,' Kazuki thought with amusement. 'And now, you're a devil with no idea of the storm that's coming your way.'

Issei's two friends, Matsuda and Motohama, were hovering over him, clearly noticing his distracted state. "Hey, Issei," Matsuda asked, leaning in, "what's up with you today? You've been weird ever today."

Issei blinked, shaking his head to snap himself back into the present. "Oh, uh, nothing!" he stammered, trying to hide the fact that, well, he had literally died yesterday. He wasn't about to tell his friends that a girl had run him through with a light spear and that he was now a devil, resurrected by Rias Gremory herself. Nope, no way. Too much to explain, and he wasn't even sure how much he understood himself.

Kazuki listened intently, pretending to be invested in the lesson, but he was keenly aware of every word Issei and his friends were saying. Matsuda shrugged and said, "Well, whatever it is, forget it. You're coming with us after school, right? We're gonna peep on the Kendo Club today!"

Issei hesitated for a moment, a brief flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. After all, the whole supernatural world was real now, and things like peeping on girls seemed, well, less important in the grand scheme of things. But that hesitation didn't last long. A grin spread across his face as he nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I'm in."

Kazuki smirked inwardly. 'Of course, you are.'

Lunch arrived, and Kazuki made his way to the cafeteria. He could hear the murmurs around the room as Issei, Matsuda, and Motohama huddled in their usual spot, ogling the girls with their usual lack of subtlety. The other students whispered disapprovingly, rolling their eyes at the trio's antics.

"Those perverts are at it again."

"They never learn, do they?"

Kazuki saw it coming from a mile away. The Kendo girls, already fed up, were gearing up for another round of punishment. Issei and his crew were about to get what they deserved—again. But this time, Kazuki decided to intervene. He stood up and approached the trio, much to the surprise of the surrounding students.

"Hey," Kazuki called out as he walked over to Issei and his friends, flashing them a friendly smile.

Issei and the others looked up, confusion etched on their faces. "Uh… what do you want?" Issei asked, clearly suspicious.

Kazuki laughed lightly, waving a hand in the air. "Relax. I'm not here to yell at you or anything. In fact, I want to help you guys."

The trio blinked in surprise. "Help us?" Motohama asked, adjusting his glasses.

Kazuki nodded, leaning in slightly, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "You guys want to get girls, right? Peeping isn't going to get you anywhere. If you really want to win them over, you need to know the secret."

Now he had their attention. All three of them leaned in closer, eager to hear what Kazuki had to say.

"What's the secret?" Matsuda asked, his voice filled with hope.

Kazuki grinned. This was going to be fun. "It's simple," he said, his tone confident and smooth. "You need to act like you're not interested. Girls love a guy who's mysterious, cool, and hard to get. Act like you don't care about them, and they'll come running."

Matsuda and Motohama exchanged wide-eyed glances. "Really?" they asked in unison.

Kazuki nodded solemnly. "Trust me. The more aloof you are, the more interested they'll be. You just have to play it cool, be charming, and let them come to you."

Issei scratched his head, still trying to process the advice. "So... act like we don't care?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Exactly!" Kazuki replied, his smile never wavering. "Women love the challenge. They want what they think they can't have."

The system chimed in, laughing inside Kazuki's mind. '[Host, that is some next-level bullshit. I'm honestly impressed.]'

Kazuki's smirk deepened. 'Oh, it's fine. They're eating it up. Besides, this will be useful later.'

Issei and his friends were nodding now, their excitement growing by the second. They actually believed Kazuki's nonsense. It was too easy. They weren't even questioning the absurdity of it.

"Thanks, man!" Issei said, his eyes practically shining with newfound hope. "I'll definitely try this!"

"Yeah, you're like a genius!" Matsuda added.

Kazuki gave them a friendly pat on the shoulder, concealing his amusement. "Don't worry about it. Just remember: act cool, be confident, and let the girls come to you."

As the trio walked away, murmuring excitedly about their "new plan," Kazuki mentally laughed, his eyes glinting with amusement. 'Oh, Issei. You have no idea. Don't worry, I'll take care of the girls for you. They'll be mine soon enough.'

'[Host, you really are a villain,]' the system remarked with a tone that bordered on admiration.

Kazuki smirked. 'I'm just helping out, right? It's what a good friend does.'

'[You're shameless.]'

'It's called strategy,' Kazuki replied, unfazed. 'And it's working.'

As the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, Kazuki headed back to class, more than satisfied with the results of his "friendly advice." Issei and his friends had taken the bait hook, line, and sinker. They were even calling him "Big Bro" now, as if he were their mentor.

'Big Bro, huh?' Kazuki thought, amused. 'Perfect. They'll be even easier to manipulate now.'

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